BlackJack D.Selzer-McKenzie  published 2006 by SelMcKenzie Publishing Basic Blackjack and Card Counting I have decided to start this book in the middle. Well, my beginning — but the middle of many books. You can skip ahead to Chapter Minus 1 to see the rules of Blackjack, and Chapter Zero on how to play without counting. Playing to win does not start until the chapters hit positive numbers. However, before we learn how to win, I want to spend some time talking about how not to lose. Patience, there is method to my madness. It was 1974 or 1975 – maybe 1976; I never was very good at dates. (I love history – except for the dates part.) Like so many others, I discovered the Thorp book, Beat the Dealer, which opened the world to card counting. Dr. Thorp did not invent card counting. Advantage play, including some attempts at counting, has been around for a long time. The genius of Thorp was the codification of card counting into a fully realized, workable, relatively simple strategy. Like so many others, I said, “This can work.” One week later, I was on a plane to Las Vegas. I had a round-trip ticket with an open return, no hotel reservations, just what cash I found in the house, $400, and one change of clothing. This was my first visit to Vegas and I had no idea how long it would last. I had read the book, but having no knowledge of casino play felt a need for experience and throwing myself into the pool (or off a cliff) seemed a logical step. Getting off the plane, I saw a clump of casino signs in the distance and figured that’s where I’d find the casinos. No, it was just a clump of signs. I had a lot to learn. I instructed the cab driver to take me to the casinos. “What casinos?” “The biggest concentration” He drove me to the Fremont downtown. I left my one bag with the bellman and went straight to the tables. Half an hour after landing, I was playing Blackjack. Las Vegas was very different in those days. Nowadays, the tintinnabulation of the slot machines greats you in the airport and stays with you until you leave. In the old days, the green baize tables ruled. Slot machines were mechanical and much less obtrusive and annoying. You only had to put up with broadcasts of “Emily from Montana just won $200 at Keno.” I really have no idea how long I played, as it was difficult to keep track of time. At some point, I realized a room would be a good idea. I checked into the Fremont for $14 a night. I was a bit worried in the ride up the elevator as to what a $14 room would look like. I was quite surprised at a clean, reasonable room with a pleasant view of the mountains. I wouldn’t spend much time there anyhow as I played about 14 hours a day. It would be another two days before I shopped for some new clothing. I still had no idea how long this trip would take. I hit every casino within walking distance. Which was quite a few, even in the ’70s. My favorite by far was Binion’s Horseshoe. Many counters played there and were quite obvious about it. If a stranger made a stupid error, one would quip, “Was that Thorp or Revere” giving himself away. Revere was the other well-known counting author at the time. There was also a Greek Goddess that dealt double-deck at the Horseshoe. She made it difficult to concentrate, but improved the atmosphere. I’ll not bore you with all my ups and downs. I will say that the chart bounced all over the place. Not the nice, consistent increase that I had hoped for. I think my first barring was the sixth or seventh day. The Four Queens said no more Blackjack. I was quite surprised as I played very low stakes at the 4Q and hadn’t played there that much at all as I didn’t really like the place. It did not bother me much at the time. I walked back “home” to the Horseshoe. Sitting at a table full of counters, I whispered quietly (apparently not quietly enough) that I had just been barred at the 4Q. The Greek Goddess sarcastically asked “YOU?” Now that hurt. The barring did not alter my play or betting. I really had no concept of cover (avoiding barrings). I did spread my play around instead of spending too much time in one casino. I played more often at the Golden Nugget, which was friendly, comfortable and had a couple of very attractive dealers. Yes, I know that is not a very good way of selecting tables. The Nugget was quite small in those days, not filling the block and having no towers. I didn’t even know it had any rooms. During a low point in Kenny Rogers’s career, you could watch him perform for free at the bar. Later he became the entertainment director. The Mint was next door to the Horseshoe and was known for James Bond climbing around the outdoor elevator and Hunter S. Thompson’s visit in the book version of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. The casino was quite small and I didn’t play there too often. Well, I guess I did. After 20 minutes of play on my last visit, the table became crowded and I headed for the cashier. While cashing in, the casino manager came over, red in the face, and said, “If I had seen you when you came in, I would never have let you play. If you ever come back here again, I’ll have you arrested.” This was my first “trespass,” only they didn’t yet actually use the word trespass in those days. A casino has the right to tell you that if you ever again enter, they can have you arrested for trespassing. The Mint was later purchased by the Horseshoe, and no longer exists. No big loss. Although my bankroll was bouncing around quite a bit, I was making money. Then my first bad swing hit me. And hit me hard. It was the morning of the ninth day and just about wiped out my winnings and my bankroll.  I decided it was time to go home. But I had to take a last shot. There was a slot machine at the very front of the Horseshoe that paid over 100%. The point was to attract people into the casino from the street. I played the machine, picked up enough to play some more Blackjack and went back to the tables for a last game before leaving. Over-betting, I did well. Quite well. I walked across the street and renewed my room. I wasn’t dead yet. I wanted to get my bankroll back. So, I started betting more heavily with the count. Over the next day and a half, I managed to build my bankroll back up to a new high. That’s when it happened. After dinner on the tenth day, I walked up to a table in Binion’s, and before I could sit, got a tap on the shoulder. A well-dressed gentleman in his 50s asked, “You’re not allowed to play here anymore, are you?” I said something brilliant like “Huh?” Actually, it probably is about the best thing you can say in these situations; but that was accidental. He said, “You have been pressing your bets too hard. No more Blackjack. You can play Craps all you want.” I had never played Craps. I asked if I could flat-bet Blackjack (bet the same on every hand). He said no. I had managed to burn out the Horseshoe on my first trip. No more Greek Goddess. I walked across the street, reserved a flight home and left the next day without playing another hand. Losing the Horseshoe was a disappointment. Benny Binion used to loudly proclaim that card counting did not work and they would never bar anyone from playing. It was not until a few years later that Binion famously barred Ken Uston after a challenge. However, I always suspected that this was a phony challenge worked out between Binion and Uston. Binion’s management knew full well that counting worked years before Uston was officially barred. I came out ahead, but clearly was doing something wrong to get thrown out of three casinos on my first trip. While chatting with the other counters, they had all mentioned Lawrence Revere’s book and the Gambler’s Book Club. I had one last stop before leaving. Jumped in a taxi and headed for the GBC. How was I supposed to know it was a Sunday? I had been oblivious of time for the past eleven days. GBC was closed. The taxi driver asked what I was looking for. I said Revere’s book. He said they have the book at the Sands. Did this cab driver know more about card counting than I? Let’s go. This would be my first visit to the Strip even though I had lived in Vegas now for eleven days. He drove me there, parked, walked me to the books and found the book. Before I could thank him, he was gone. Vegas was a very friendly city in those days. At home, I threw the money on the bed. Really. I know this is campy and sounds like a bad movie, but it’s obligatory after your first win. I started with $400. Ended up with $1,100 profit after living off my winnings for eleven days. Not much, but inflation adjusted, $4,200 in 2008 dollars. There was only one problem. I did EVERYTHING wrong. Note, shaded text like that in the previous pages indicates that I have veered off into a story. I will now stop using contractions and colloquialisms — until the next shady story. Mistakes Kierkegaard said, “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” Now that much time has passed, it is easy for me to see the mistakes of my youth. In many ways, the most important part of learning how to win is learning how not to lose. I started with this trip report to illustrate the errors made by many beginning counters. Now I’m not saying all my mistakes are typical. I tend to act impulsively at times. However, many of my mistakes are extremely common among counters starting out and even many more experienced counters. Below is a list of my errors, which I will follow with additional explanation. 1.      Too strong at the start 2.      Wrong strategy/Wrong indexes 3.      Lack of practice 4.      Ignoring rules/penetration/decks 5.      Playing bad counts 6.      Playing exhausted 7.      No concept of risk/Incorrect expectations 8.      Poor record keeping 9.      Admitting I was counting 10.  Desperate catch-up moves 11.  High expenses 12.  Thinking my win meant something 13.  No cover 14.  No game plan/Betting strategy Explanations Brief explanations of the above are found here to be expanded upon in later chapters. Too strong at the start – I often say that you have no business in a casino until you have studied the game and can use a strategy nearly flawlessly. Unless you are there just for entertainment and do not expect to win. This is a little too strong an admonition. You do need to have a sense of a casino. You really cannot fully comprehend card counting without first having played a few hands in the casino environment. However, the first time playing should not be for stakes that matter to you. Just play a bit at the cheaper tables. And then you really should avoid casinos until you can properly put in action a winning strategy. Instead, I just jumped in headfirst. I read the book and therefore must be a card counter. You do not want to spend months undoing the damage inflicted on yourself before you have a good grasp of the battlefield. Wrong strategy/Wrong indexes – St. Thomas Aquinas said, “Beware the man of one book.” I started using the Thorp Ten Count because it was the only strategy that I had heard of. I had read only one book. Beat the Dealer is a great read for an historical reference and an understanding of the history and background is very useful. However, there exist strategies that are more refined today. This is good since the rules of Blackjack are tougher today, primarily because of Beat the Dealer. Now in my defense, there were very few good books on Blackjack in the mid-’70s. In the early days, the books that did exist also provided huge numbers of indexes (indexes are strategy variations that you must memorize). Instead of learning the important indexes perfectly, I learned all the indexes imperfectly. Since then it has been discovered that most of these indexes are of little value and simply lead to increased errors — particularly if you are silly enough to play one week after buying a book. I only used the Ten Count on this one trip. Since then I have used Revere Point Count, a more refined count. Today there are modern counts that are slightly less powerful, but far easier. Lack of practice – Was I any good at the mechanics of card counting, or even of playing basic Blackjack? I did not even know. Anyone can learn card counting. But can he win? You can teach someone the rules of Chess in ten minutes. That doesn’t mean he has a chance against the worst five-year-old in a Chess club, blindfolded. (I once taught a dancer in a “gentlemen’s club” the fundamental principle of Calculus. Doesn’t mean she could solve differential equations. But that’s another story.) Of course, I had practiced dealing cards on a pool table and used flashcards to help test my memory. But this is a very slow method of learning. Moreover, it is simply not possible to master card counting in one week. Bob Dylan sang, “I’ll know my song well before I start singing.” Buffy Saint-Marie sang, “And he knows what he knows like the trees do.” When a shortstop catches a grounder with a runner at first, he does not stop and think what to do. He reacts instantly. The time for thinking is before the game. You must practice until everything you do during the game is an instant reaction. Okay, enough mixing of _meta_phors. In addition to playing correctly, practice can help you avoid barrings. It does not take that much practice to count the cards as quickly as they are dealt. But you need to be faster than the dealer and to count automatically without thinking. This gives your eyes a chance to look elsewhere so you are not staring intently at the cards. It also gives your mind time to engage in conversation with other p_layer_s, pit personnel, cocktail waitresses, etc. A p_layer_ who has just learned how to count may as well write “counter” on his forehead. Today software exists to speed the learning process and test your progress. Ignoring rules/penetration/decks – There are several aspects to this mistake. Each Blackjack table has its own set of rules: How the dealer plays his hand, what you are allowed to do, how deeply the dealer deals before reshuffling and how many decks are used. The first aspect is game selection. You should not even sit at some tables, because either the rules are poor or the dealer does not use enough cards before shuffling or both. The latter, penetration, is one of the most important characteristics of card counting. This will be discussed in detail in later chapters. Poor rules and/or penetration were less of a problem in the early days. The second aspect is betting. You bet substantially differently in single-deck, double-deck and shoe games. Most p_layer_s stick either to pitch games (single- and double-deck) or shoe games (four or more decks.) George C., one of the most experienced of Blackjack p_layer_s, used to use one strategy for pitch games and another for shoes. He would play pitch games for six months and then shoes for six months. Now this is overkill for the average p_layer_. You do not need to go this far, unless you want to eke out every cent. However, it illustrates that pitch and shoe games really are different. The third aspect is playing variations. Different rules call for different playing decisions. A fourth aspect is speed. The speed of a table depends on the speed of the dealer, the speed of the p_layer_s, and the number of p_layer_s. Speed can be an overlooked aspect. However, it is actually very important. First, if you have an advantage, the more hands you play, the more you can win. As importantly, the more hands you play in your lifetime, the more likely it is that your results will match theoretical results. This is the law of large numbers. If you are playing with the edge against you (not counting cards and not using any other advantage technique), you are hoping for good luck to beat the house edge. If you are a card counter, you are hoping you will not have any bad luck. Because with no luck either way, you are a winner. The more hands you play, the less “luck” (known as variance in math) has a part in the results. My mistake was to spend too little time paying attention to the differences between tables. It was all Blackjack to me. Playing bad counts – The major function of card counting is identifying opportunities. The count tells you when the odds are in your favor and when they are against you. When the advantage turns substantially against you, you have no business remaining at the table. Back-counting and Wonging refer to the formalized practices of entering or leaving a table depending on the current advantage. Now at the time of my first trip, I don’t believe there was any discussion of Wonging in the available books. And waiting for a high enough advantage before entering a table is not really necessary unless the conditions are poor. However, back-counting is rather obvious. I often would wait for good conditions before sitting. But when the count drops significantly, that is, the remaining cards heavily favor the house, you need to get away from the table. My mistake was to play through the bad times too often. Playing exhausted – After you have been playing for many months, card counting becomes second nature. In fact, it is hard not to count. You count license plates or any other numbers that you see. It is hard to play Poker without seeing Blackjack hands and counts. However, when you are new to card counting, it can be tiring — exhausting by the end of the day. You cannot play when overly tired. You will make mistakes. The advantage that you enjoy in Blackjack is very slim and can be destroyed with too many errors. No concept of risk/Incorrect expectations – I understood the part about advantage. I did not think enough about variance. Given my bankroll and betting, I could easily have been wiped out in five minutes. Frankly, I was lucky to make it eleven days without losing my entire bankroll. I have talked to hundreds of beginning card counters over the years and believe the vast majority bet far too much for their bankrolls. If your bankroll is replenishable, that is, you can easily get another bankroll if you wipe out, you have a lot more leeway. However, you have to be prepared to lose what you consider to be your bankroll. I am afraid that many card-counting books tend to leave the reader with exaggerated expectations. This is also the fault of the reader, but any explanation of counting must hammer home the understanding that a consistent, smooth gain is not a part of Blackjack. Poor record keeping – I meticulously kept records of my wins and losses. My interest was in my bankroll. Important, but not nearly enough data. You need to keep a record of casinos, shifts, rules, penetration, dealers, session length, max bet, contacts with staff, expenses, unusual events, and other data that you will find important depending on your playing _style_. Admitting I was counting – Dumb. But I was obvious anyhow. The large number of obvious card counters at the Horseshoe lowered my paranoia level. Paranoia can be valuable. These days you certainly cannot deny that you have heard of card counting. Everyone has. On occasion, a dealer may ask you if you are counting. This is a bit trickier. The dealer’s motive is often not negative. She may count and may ask simply out of curiosity. Generally I will give an answer like “I used to many years ago, but it’s too boring.” Or “I tried it once and it doesn’t work.” Or just “It’s a scam.” Desperate catch-up moves – When your bankroll is low, it may make sense to reduce your betting. It certainly does not make sense to increase your betting. But it is a gambler’s tendency to try to “bang” one’s way back — to take large risks in an attempt to recover losses quickly. This is sometimes called “steaming.” A brief story. A New Jersey friend was playing Baccarat in Vegas. He was a big gambler, not an advantage p_layer_. (An “advantage p_layer_” is one that has an advantage over the casino — like a card counter.)  After losing his bankroll, he ran over to a friend and asked to borrow $2,500. Brought it back and bet it all on the Banker. He won. He pressed the bet — betting $5,000. Won again. He said press it again. The pit boss rejected the bet telling him that $5,000 was the table limit. He told his girlfriend to sit and had her bet $5,000 in addition to his $5,000 bet. Won again. He said press it and got the same response from the pit. So, he asked two complete strangers that had been watching the game to sit, and he bet four times $5,000. Won again. He turned to his girlfriend and said, “Let’s have dinner in San Francisco.” Now this may sound like one incredibly lucky guy, and indeed he was on this trip. But his office was wallpapered with paid casino markers. His overall record was abysmal. Indeed, that is how he managed to experience such an unlikely story. Betting in this manner is a certain path to disaster. Well, almost certain. Over-betting worked for me on this trip. However, it will fail far more often and will hurt you if you keep it up. High expenses – My expenses were too high. I paid for a full-fare plane ticket, something you should never do. I received a couple of comps (casinos will provide various complimentary rates and freebies to p_layer_s), but I was not proactive about getting free meals, etc. Moreover, I tended to ignore expenses as if they were not a part of the expectation calculations. For some insight into comp hustling, read Comp City: A Guide to Free Casino Vacations by Max Rubin. No cover – Cover or camouflage is the art of staying under the radar — avoiding identification as a counter. This can involve betting modifications, playing modifications, an “act” or how you present yourself in a casino, time spent at a table, and comments made during play. There are some people who seem to think that being barred from a casino is a badge of honor. But if you cannot play, you cannot win. I obviously had no concept of cover. No game plan/Betting strategy – Well this one is obvious. I read a book and got on a plane. I gave no thought to where I was playing, where I was staying, or even how long I was staying. But more importantly, I really had no idea how I was going to play. I don’t care if you are the best p_layer_ in the world; you need to plan the details of the trip. This doesn’t mean a day-by-day itinerary. However, you need to know at least what tables you will be hitting and exactly how much you will be betting at each level of advantage. Casino Mistakes Those were my mistakes. The casinos made one mistake. They were idiots to kick me out. Had they let me continue to play, I would have surely lost my bankroll. Frankly, casinos are not very good at the determination of which card counters can cause them damage. Mistakes I didn’t make Thinking my win meant something – Empirical evidence means evidence gleaned from experience only. Say that you go to George Burns's doctor. George Burns lived a century and smoked cigars constantly. Should his doctor advise you to smoke for long life? Empirical evidence would say yes. Winning the first time is dangerous as it can convince you that you know what you are doing. Probably one-third of people who use progression systems win the first time, since about that many people win the first time, and can be easily convinced they have a winning system. Progression-system books are filled with empirical evidence and their ads are filled with quotes from anonymous winners. All meaningless. I did return with more confidence than I should have. But I wasn’t ready to claim that I had a new career. Not realizing I had a problem – I knew that I had a problem with longevity. It was not acceptable to be tossed from three casinos in one trip — particularly my favorite. Something had to be done. Fortunately, there was a solution. I had read Revere’s book on the trip home. So, the first thing I did (after throwing my winnings on the bed and staring at it) was to call Revere. I made an appointment to visit him at his home in Las Vegas, and took my second trip a week later. Chapter Minus 1 Blackjack Rules All the Rules This chapter is divided into three parts. The first part explains the basic rules of Blackjack, and you will find this in nearly every Blackjack book. The second part provides information on over 100 variations found in casinos around the world. This part is really meant more as a reference to look up unusual rules. The third section discusses the effect of rules in a new manner. You can skip this chapter if you already know how to play, but I do include several comments to aid counters, as I believe you need to start with good habits. The popularity of casino Blackjack has increased greatly over the last forty years since it was discovered that this is the one of the few casino games that can regularly be beaten with expert play. Despite this, the casinos have profited handsomely because very few p_layer_s have the patience to practice sufficiently to beat the casinos. Interestingly, Blackjack also provides one of the greatest advantages for the casino when a bad p_layer_ plays. This section contains a brief de_script_ion of the basic casino Blackjack rules. Note, since play varies enormously, casino by casino, there exist exceptions to all of the following rules. Basic Rules Pronoun Usage Unless I am telling a true story, I will refer to dealers as female and p_layer_s as male as a convention. This is in no way meant to suggest that all dealers are female and all p_layer_s are male. I do this to reduce pronoun confusion, and to avoid awkward structures like he/she or “they” used as a singular pronoun. The Environment At the far left corner you will see the table minimum and maximum. Keep your bets in this range as it will annoy them and draw attention if you bet outside the range and they do not notice it before the round starts. The range will sometimes change while you are at the table. For example, it is likely to increase at busier times of day. You may or may not be grandfathered, that is, allowed to continue betting at the lower amount. One note on table limits. Some people will tell you that the purpose of table limits is to prevent people from using progression systems. On the contrary, casinos are delighted with progression p_layer_s. There are many reasons that casinos assign different limit ranges to different tables: •         Chip trays have a fixed amount of space. It makes no sense to populate every tray with every size chip. •         High-limit p_layer_s often do not like to play with low-limit p_layer_s and low-limit p_layer_s often do not like to play with high- limit p_layer_s. So, they are segregated to a degree. •         The high-limit tables are watched more carefully. •         High-limit tables are less likely to be manned by less experienced dealers. •         Winning-hand payoffs are slower if p_layer_s are betting many different chip sizes. •         High-limit tables are kept less crowded to provide more comfort to higher-limit p_layer_s and to speed the play of larger bettors. Speed is just as important to the casino as it is to the advantage p_layer_. Some high-limit tables are often kept in separate areas or even on a separate floor. •         The limits also prevent ridiculously large bet changes, which could be of value to an advantage p_layer_. On the right of the Blackjack table (the dealer’s left), we see the shoe. Blackjack is normally played with one to eight 52-card decks. Shoes are used to hold the cards in three- to eight-deck games. In most one- and two-deck games, the cards are held and pitched to the p_layer_. Hence, we call these games “pitch” games. The majority of shoes are transparent, although a few paranoid casinos cover the cards. Note: There are a few casinos that use six or eight decks, but the dealer grabs one or two of them and pitches them as if the game were a one- or two-deck game. In my opinion, this is a scam to fool p_layer_s to thinking they are playing a pitch game. Pitch games used to be more advantageous to the p_layer_. On the left of the table, we see the discard tray. Discard trays keep the used cards and come in a variety of _style_s. In most cases, they are transparent. I have seen tables with two discard trays, but this is very rare. If you see this, leave. The dealer can use two trays to alter the randomness of the cards to increase the house edge. Chips The chips are kept in front of the dealer. $5, $25, $100, and $500 denominations are usually red, green, black and purple. However, there are exceptions. Casinos used to use silver dollars for $1 chips. They now use $1 slot tokens or generally white or specialty chips. Most casinos use coins for lower amounts, but chips do exist for 25¢ and 50¢.  $2.50 chips exist in some casinos and are usually pink. These are used to pay off Blackjacks. Blackjack pays 3:2 and must be paid with three coins on bets like $5 and $25 if pink chips do not exist. Larger chips are more likely to vary in color and size. For example, $1,000 chips are often orange or yellow and sometimes slightly larger. Typical chips are made of a clay composite, compression molded and weigh 9.5 grams each, though there are other weights. Cheaper casinos may use ceramic chips. European chips of higher value are often oblong shaped. Some casinos have experimented with chips that include RFID (Radio Frequency ID) chips that allow a casino to count the chips in your pocket and detect chips leaving the casino. The chip tray is always kept fairly full to keep the action going and entice p_layer_s. If the lights go out, you will see every dealer fold her hands over the tray in unison like a Broadway musical. It’s all about the money. Indeed chips used to be as good as money in Las Vegas. You could use one casino’s chips in another and even buy merchandise with chips. You can still tip with chips — no one will turn them down. However, since a couple of casinos went bankrupt, they are no longer considered as good as money. In fact, a casino may even give you a hard time cashing in its own chips on occasion. Before you start, you need to exchange cash for chips. Assuming you have not deposited money with the casino, place your money between two of the betting spots just before the start of a new round. If you place the money in the betting spot, this could be an indication that you want “money plays” or all the money put on one bet. However, they would ask first before assuming this and more and more casinos these days will convert the money to chips anyway. Casinos really do not like bets made with cash as it requires more attention from the pit boss. The denominations of chips the dealer hands you depend on the table minimum and the amount of money you drop on the table. If you want different denominations, like no green chips at a $25 table, say “all black,” or if you want chips below the minimum for tips or cocktail waitresses, just say so. _object_ive A casino Blackjack game consists of a dealer and one to seven p_layer_s. Tables generally seat five, six or seven p_layer_s. You do NOT play Blackjack against other p_layer_s; you play against the dealer. In fact, other p_layer_s are usually not relevant to your play. They are mainly a distraction. You are betting that you have a better hand than the dealer. The better hand is the hand where the sum of the card values is closer to 21 without exceeding 21. A hand that is greater than 21 is referred to as “busted” and automatically loses. Card values The value of cards two through ten is their pip value (two through ten). Face cards (Jack, Queen, and King) are all worth ten. Aces can be worth one or eleven. A hand's value is the sum of the card values. Soft hands and hard hands exist. A soft hand contains an ace that is being counted as eleven. (Remember, an ace can count as one or eleven.) For example, if a hand has an ace and a six, this is a soft 17. This hand cannot be busted by drawing another card. If a ten is drawn, the ace would be counted as one instead of eleven, and the hand would still have a value of 17. However, this would now be a hard 17, because the ace now counts as one and an additional draw could cause a bust. The Start We begin with the shuffle. The shuffling method varies by casino and by the number of decks. Some casinos now use automatic shufflers (ASMs) to speed the game and thwart experts who track cards through shuffles. However, the machines are very expensive, can break down, and in my opinion interfere with the casino’s historic roots. Casino managers like machines and if they had their way there would be nothing but slot machines. More accurately, they would be happy if you handed them your money at the door and left. CSMs are continuous shuffling machines. This is a variation where the dealer discards into the machine as the game is played and it is always shuffling new cards and old cards together. In my opinion, this is not even Blackjack. No one plays a card game that way. After the shuffle, the cards are held horizontally in front of one of the p_layer_s and he is handed a cut card. The p_layer_ slides the cut card into the stack, not too close to the start or end of the stack. The dealer will usually hold the stack tightly to keep the p_layer_ from opening the stack to peek at any of the cards. So, you may have to chop down sharply to get the card into the stack. You can wave off the cut and let another p_layer_ cut the cards. The cards are cut by the dealer at the cut card, and the cut card is normally inserted back into the stack to indicate where the dealer will again shuffle. The shuffle point is decided by the casino. Some one-deck games deal a fixed number of rounds depending on the number of p_layer_s instead of using a cut card. In these games, an extra round may also be dealt at times. The Bet  Most p_layer_s wait for the shuffling process to complete before betting. However, you can bet at any time. Place your bet in the betting circle. It may be a circle, square or more commonly these days, a logo. If your bet consists of more than one color of chip, the higher value chips must be at the bottom of the stack. The chips should be neatly stacked, or the dealer will straighten them, slowing the game. If you have been consistently betting stacks of one color, and then make a bet with two colors of chips, you might want to be obvious about it to make certain the dealer sees that there are two colors. Do not try to alter your bet after the deal begins. If you wish to tip the dealer, this is normally done with a bet. You place a second bet a couple inches above your main bet. If you lose, the dealer also loses. If you win, the dealer pays both bets, takes the tip bet and winnings and puts them in a toke box, in most jurisdictions, to be shared. You can increase the tip with a split or double. Alternatively, you can tip the dealer when you leave by tossing a chip into the center of the table. Tipping can be more expensive than many people think. Card counters have a very slim edge, which can be destroyed by tipping too much. Whether you tip or not is up to you. My overall impression is that tipping is less prevalent than it used to be. The Play Once p_layer_s have placed their bets, the deal begins. P_layer_s are each dealt two cards, face up or down depending on the casino and the table at which you sit. Normally, pitch games (one or two decks) are dealt face down and shoe games face up. The dealer is also dealt two cards, normally one up (exposed) and one down (hidden). The p_layer_s are allowed to draw additional cards (“hit” their hand) to improve their hands. Once the cards are dealt, play starts with the p_layer_ at the far right facing the table (called first _base_) and continuing to the left (third _base_). The dealer will look in your direction to indicate your turn. Hand Signals You must use your hand to signal plays. Verbally telling the dealer is not sufficient and can slow the game. The reason hand signals are used is the “eye in the sky” cannot hear you. In olden days, observers watched play from catwalks above the casino ceilings. These days there are cameras everywhere and all activity is recorded. These tapes can be used to identify card counters. However, they are more often used to watch for cheats, in particular dealers that cheat or collude with p_layer_s to cheat. They can also be used to resolve disputes (rare), and there is a lot of money to watch. Blackjacks If the p_layer_'s first two cards add to 21 (an ace and a ten-value card), this is called a “Blackjack” or “natural” or colloquially “snapper.” As long as the dealer does not also have a Blackjack, the p_layer_ is guaranteed to win the hand and the payoff is usually 3:2 instead of the normal 1:1. This valuable bonus occurs about once every 21 hands. If the dealer also has a Blackjack, the hand is “pushed.” That is, there is a tie and the p_layer_’s chips remain in the bet box. In some casinos, they are now paying 6:5 instead of 3:2 for a Blackjack. In my opinion, this is not even Blackjack. NEVER play at such a table. Note: Some p_layer_s will tip the dealer the bonus. This will utterly destroy the odds if always done. Hitting Hitting refers to drawing additional cards. You may draw as many cards as you wish as long as you do not pass 21. For example, if you have a hand totaling five, you will certainly hit since you cannot bust and may improve your hand. In face-up games, hitting is usually signaled by scratching the table toward you with your hand. You do not actually have to touch the table. Another method is to tap the table with your forefinger meaning hit that hand. This is a quicker method if you have more than one hand as you can point to the second hand signifying that you wish to stand on the first hand and hit the second hand with one hand motion. You can also just point to the cards. An advantage of placing your forefinger pointing down to call for a hit is you can do this before the play even gets to you. This speeds the game slightly as the dealer does not have to wait for you to signal. Whatever you do, do not touch the cards in face-up games. As you become more experienced, you are likely to make smaller hand movements. The dealer knows what you are likely to do and does not need dramatic moves. Smaller moves can speed the game and speed is a very important aspect to winning. In face-down games, you cannot see the cards. You must pick them up. Unlike in face-up games, in face-down games you are allowed to touch the cards, but with only one hand, because you can cheat touching with two hands. In fact, keep your other hand ar away from the cards, your bet or any chips. Also, the cards must be held above the table. Do not bring them over the edge of the table above your lap, as people will jump out of the woodwork.  The cards are not really “secret” as in Poker. It does not matter if other people or the dealer see them. However, do not make a habit of showing them as they may think you are giving information to a partner. You indicate a hit by scratching the table with the cards in a motion towards your body. They do not actually have to scratch the table. Any wave towards yourself will indicate a hit. If you bust (exceed 21) in a face-down game, throw in the hand by tossing the cards face up just beyond the bet. Standing You stand (or “stay”) if you do not want another card. In face-up games, standing is usually signaled by waving your hand over the cards, either back and forth or in one direction. However, simply opening your hand, palm down, with outstretched fingers will be accepted as a stand by nearly all dealers. In older days, drawing a curve with your finger toward your left meant move to the next p_layer_. I have not seen this in decades. If you should obviously stand, some dealers will simply pass over your hand if you simply sit back with your hands folded. There are two philosophies to allowing the dealer to play for you without signals. The prevailing philosophy is never to allow this as she may make the common play when the count tells you to make an unusual play. However, there are times playing heads-up (only p_layer_ at the table) when you can reach incredible speeds with an experienced dealer by allowing her to make obvious plays. And, I look for gains in speed everywhere. If you see an unusual situation coming up, you can always hold up your hand to pause the dealer. In face-down games, tuck the corner of your cards, face down, under your bet. Do not touch the bet with your hands. Doubling Down An additional option, “double down,” allows you to double your bet on your first two cards. You draw exactly one card with a double down. This is common practice if you have a good hand that cannot be busted and the dealer has a bad hand. Remember, because face cards all count as ten, there exist more cards with a value of ten than any other value. If the dealer has a six showing, there is a good chance that she has a 16 or some other poor hand. Since a dealer must draw with a 16, there is a good chance that she will draw a card that carries the hand over 21 causing a dealer bust. If you have an eleven (say a seven and a four), you cannot bust with one card. You are likely to end up with a good hand. This option allows you to double your bet when you have a good chance of winning. To indicate a double, add an additional bet next to current bet — normally the same amount. Never touch your current bet. A method of cheating is to cap (increase) your original bet when you have a good hand. Touch your original bet and you will be admonished. You do not want to give any indication that you could be a cheat, as it will bring unwanted attention to your play. In face-down games, you must also expose the hand. Toss the two cards beyond the bet face up. Splitting Pairs If your first two cards have the same value, you may split them into two hands. For example, two eights can be split into two hands each having one eight. You can then play the two hands separately starting with the hand on your right. You must add an additional bet for the second hand equal in amount to your first bet. If you draw yet another card of the same value, most casinos allow you to split into three hands (or even four with an additional eight). This is called a resplit and is usually, but not always, limited to a total of four hands. Most casinos impose limitations when splitting two aces. You may draw only one card to each ace, and you cannot get a the 3 to 2 bonus if you draw a ten on either ace. To indicate a split, add a bet to the left of your current bet. Again, do not touch your current bet. Also, some people are tempted to separate the cards. That is the dealer’s job. As with a double down, if playing a face-down game, toss the two cards beyond the bet face up. If you have two fours or two fives, the dealer will not know whether you wish to double or split. You can call out double or split. Or you can hold up one or two fingers (one card or two hands) to indicate double or split to make certain your decision is recorded. Insurance If the dealer's up card (the card that is showing) is an ace, you are allowed to make an “insurance” bet. This is a side bet that the dealer has a ten-value card as the down card, giving the dealer a Blackjack. The dealer will ask for insurance bets from all p_layer_s before the first p_layer_ plays. You make this bet by placing chips equal to a maximum of half of your current bet on the “insurance bar” just above your cards. If the dealer has a ten, the insurance bet pays 2:1. In most casinos, the dealer then peeks at the down card and pays or takes the insurance bet immediately. In other casinos, the payoff waits until the end of the play. In face-down games, if you are playing more than one hand, you are allowed to look at all hands before deciding. This is the only time that you are allowed to look at the second hand before playing the first hand. Using one hand, look at the hands one at a time. Surrender A few casinos allow an option referred to as “surrender”. In these casinos, you can surrender a lousy hand before you have drawn any additional cards. You will lose half of your bet. There are old hand signals for surrender, but no one uses them and they will just confuse the dealer. This is one circumstance where you just verbally call out “surrender.” Hands Most p_layer_s play one hand. You may play more hands if the seats next to you are open. Casinos have different rules governing this. They may require a higher minimum bet when you are playing multiple hands — for example, double the minimum bet on each hand with two hands or triple with three hands. Very crowded casinos may limit multiple hands, but this is not common in the U.S. Also, at a few tables you cannot increase the number of hands in the middle of a shoe. You must wait for a shuffle. Dealer Hand Once all the p_layer_s have completed their hands, it is the dealer’s turn. She will not even play if all p_layer_s have either busted or received Blackjacks. She will simply turn over the hole card. On occasion, you will find a dealer who does not expose the hole card in this circumstance. Generally you should leave that table. The dealer plays by strict rules set by the casino. Generally, the dealer will draw additional cards until the dealer hand is above hard 16. This is referred to as “stand on soft-17” or S17. In some casinos, the dealer will hit a hand with 17 if it is a “soft” hand, for example, an ace and a six. This is referred to as “hit soft-17” or H17. The table will state the dealer rule in a large semi-circle beyond the insurance bar. H17 increases the house edge and is more common these days as the casinos become more greedy. Note: The dealer has an advantage because the p_layer_s play first. If the p_layer_ busts, then the dealer does not need to risk a bust. On the other hand, p_layer_s also enjoy an advantage because they get to see one of the dealer’s cards and are allowed to vary their play accordingly. They are also allowed to double, split, insure, sometimes surrender and are paid extra for a Blackjack. This brings near balance to the two opponents. The Resolution Once the dealer has completed her hand, she will resolve the bets and sweep the cards into the discard tray. You can then place a bet for the next round. Once she has resolved your bet, you do not actually need to wait for her to finish resolving all the other hands before placing your bet. Remember, speed is important. Leaving the Table It is common when you leave to “color up” your chips if you have many chips — that is, trade in smaller chips for larger ones. Simply place your chips between two betting spots. You may say “color” if the dealer does not see you, but she knows what you want. Some counters do not like to color up as it gives the pit a chance to count their chips. However, if they care, they probably already know. The main job of the pit is to watch the money flow. Many p_layer_s “rat-hole” or surreptitiously pocket chips. But the pit keeps track of the chips in the tray, and if they are nowhere on the table, then they are in somebody’s pocket. I sometimes put chips in my pocket — but I do it obviously, so I do not look like I am trying to hide them. I look more like a gambler who is “protecting his winnings.” Variations Well not all the variations. They keep changing. There exist a huge number of variations in Blackjack and this number has been increasing as the number of casinos has expanded, increasing competition and a desire by casinos to attract new customers and differentiate their products. Most new variations are bad for the average p_layer_. Some are remarkably bad. However, some provide new opportunities for advantage. About 100 variations are listed in this section. Normally a list of unusual rules would be placed later in a Blackjack book and the beginner may wish to skip this section for now. I placed it near the beginning because I feel it is important to understand the wide variation in rules. For many of the rules, an advantage is provided, for example, a p_layer_ advantage of .08. This means that the house edge, normally about .50%, is decreased by .08 to .42%. So for every $100 bet, the average loss for a basic strategy p_layer_ (non-card counter) will be 42 cents instead of 50 cents. Every penny counts. Double Down Rules   Double down on 10, 11 – Almost universal, this rule allows doubling down on two cards totaling 10 or 11 without an Ace. On extremely rare occasions, you might find a casino that only allows double down on 11. These games should be avoided as the penalty is .45-.52.   Double down on 9 – This Blackjack rule adds two cards totaling nine to the double down opportunities. P_layer_ advantage of .09-.15.   Double down on 8 – This rule adds two cards totaling eight to the double down opportunities. The gain is minimal if one is not counting cards.   Double down any hard count – This rule adds all other totals without an ace. The gain is minimal even for a card counter.   Double down on soft count – This fairly common option allows doubling down on any first two cards, even if one of the cards is an ace. This rule has an advantage of .08-.13.   Soft Double A9 or A8 only – This limits the soft double hands to only soft-20 and soft-19.   Ace Counts as 1 – In a soft double, the ace always counts as 1 with this rule. So, if you double an A8 and draw an ace, the hand counts as 10, not 20. This rule is found in some Northern European casinos.   Double after split (DAS) – This rule allows doubling down on hands that have been created by splitting a pair. This is common in Atlantic City, fairly common in Las Vegas and available at about 35% of the world's casinos. A few casinos limit the hands that you can double. This rule has an advantage of .12-.14. You must change your strategy to realize the full gain in advantage.   Double down on three cards – This rare option allows doubling down on three cards, as well as the traditional two.   Double on any number of cards – This rare Blackjack rule allows doubling down in almost any circumstance. Advantage of .23. Common in Spanish 21 and SuperFun 21; but the advantage is different in these games.   Redouble – Here you can double and then double again after drawing a card on the first double. You may be limited by the table limits.   Soft Double Down counts as hard hand – With this lousy rule, an Ace in a hand to be doubled always counts as one.   Discard Double – Very good but not common rule that allows you to throw away your double down card and draw another. This requires two strategies. The first strategy specifies when you will double. The second specifies when you will throw out the double down card.   Hit after Double Down – This rule does not actually exist. However, in some casinos surrender after double down does. Inexperienced dealers will sometimes allow you to hit after a double in these casinos. This can be very valuable. Split Rules   Resplit – This very common rule allows splitting pairs, usually, up to three times. As a result, up to four hands can be created from one. Some casinos allow only one split and a few allow six or infinite splits. There is almost no gain in advantage past three hands.    Resplit Aces – Adding this rule allows resplitting of a pair of aces. This rule is less common but more common than most people think. Advantage is 0-.1 depending on other rules. In shoe games, this rule is quite valuable for card counters and is often seen with late surrender games in Las Vegas.   Multiple draw after split Aces – Most casinos will allow only one card drawn to each split hand after splitting aces. A few allow additional draws. Advantage is about .1.   Must double down third card on split Ace – A new rule in a few American Indian casinos allows a third card after splitting aces, but you must double. You can double for less.   Split tens must be same value – In most casinos, tens, jacks, queens and kings all count as ten and can be considered the same for splitting rules. In other words, you can split a jack and a king. A few casinos demand that the cards be exact pairs.   No Ace Splits – Some casinos do not allow a split of aces. This Blackjack rule is fairly rare and should be avoided.   Split any time – This very rare rule allows you to split a hand after drawing additional cards as long as you have two cards of the same value touching each other. For example, draw 10, 2, 2 and you can split the deuces resulting in hands of 12 and 2. You can then finish each hand.   Split any 16 – Such as A5, 97, T6. Great rule as it gets rid of the worst hand. Unfortunately rare.   Discard Split – Very good but not common rule that allows you to throw away one of your hands after a split. This requires two strategies. The first strategy specifies when you will split. The second specifies when you will throw out the split hand.   No 4, 5 or Ten Splits. – This rule used to be law in the UK. The law has been changed to allow these splits, but many casinos have not changed with the law. Insurance and Surrender Rules   Insurance – This nearly universal rule allows an insurance bet against a dealer face-up ace. Note: Not allowed with Double Exposure (described later).   Even Money – If you have a Blackjack and the dealer has an ace, you can call out “even money”. You will be paid 1:1. This is exactly the same as insuring the hand. Many people will argue that it is not the same. They are wrong. I will not clutter up this book with an explanation — you can find one in Wikipedia.   Insure Blackjack only – Some casinos in Europe, and in particular the UK, allow insurance bets only when the p_layer_ has a Blackjack. This is not referred to as insurance but “even money” in the UK as insurance is not defined in UK rules. The rule greatly harms the p_layer_ who is counting.   Insurance for full amount – This unusual Blackjack rule allows an insurance bet equal to the value of the original bet instead of the usual half-bet. It is a good bet for card counters.   Insure against Ten – Here you bet the dealer has an ace in the hole. The payoff varies.   Late Surrender – The common form of surrender. The p_layer_ can surrender a hand (throw it in) for half of the bet after the dealer has checked for Blackjack. If the dealer is not allowed to peek and does not know if there is a dealer Blackjack, then the surrender occurs only after the dealer checks for Blackjack and finds that it does not exist.   Early Surrender – This less and less available rule allows surrender of a hand before the dealer checks for Blackjack. If you can find a casino that allows it, this is one of the most valuable options in the game. Advantage is about .6-.7. It can be found in Africa, some places in Eastern Europe, for a time in Moscow, a couple of casinos in Vancouver and a handful of casinos in Western Europe. In rare cases, you will find a dealer that allows this because she does not understand the late surrender rule.   Early Surrender vs. 10 – Allows a surrender if the dealer has a ten- up Blackjack. Only available with no dealer hole card.   Macao Surrender – This, currently obsolete, rule allows surrender of an unbusted hand with five cards.   Surrender any number of cards – With this rule, the p_layer_ can surrender a hand after any number of draws.   Surrender after Double – A new rule that allows a surrender even after you have doubled down. Also called Double Down Rescue. The dealer takes the double portion of the bet, and the p_layer_ retains the original bet.    Insure then Surrender allowed – In some situations, you may want to insure a hand and then surrender the same hand. In a casino, this can cause some interesting conversations with the dealer or pit boss. Casinos will often argue that a hand that has been insured cannot be surrendered because it no longer exists. You might argue that insurance is purely a side bet. However, it rarely makes sense to get into an argument with casinos over relatively minor matters as it will just focus their attention on you and indicate that you have more knowledge of the game than they would like. Save your arguments for more costly situations, like mispayment of a bet.   Surrender after Split – As it says, this Blackjack rule allows a surrender even after splitting hands. You may still play the remaining hand.   Casino Surrender – If you have a two-card 20, and the dealer has a ten up but no Blackjack, then you may chose to win half your bet instead of risking a loss. Not a good bet. Unusual Blackjack Games or Side Bets   Over/Under 13 – This Blackjack game, once gaining popularity in Las Vegas and Atlantic City, is now fading away as it can beaten by card counters. You can bet that your first two cards will total over 13 or you may bet that the first two cards are under 13. The house wins all totals of 13. Aces normally count only as one for this side bet. (Not true in all casinos.) The bets are resolved immediately after the dealer up card is shown and pay 1:1.   Red/Black – This side bet is very similar to Over/Under 13 except that you bet on whether the dealer upcard is red or black by placing a bet in the “R” or “B” circle. The dealer wins on all twos. Play is the same as with Over/Under 13 described above. This is also a beatable side bet.   Royal Match – This rule allows a different side bet on the first two cards. You may bet that your first two cards are in the same suit. If they are, the bet pays 3:1. If they are the Queen and King of the same suit, this is a Royal Match, which pays 10:1. The bet is resolved as soon as the dealer upcard is shown. There exist variations in the payoffs   Super 7’s – This option exists in a few casinos with a few variations. The version included here appears to be the most common. You may make a side bet of only $1 that you will be dealt consecutive sevens. If you are dealt two sevens, you will be dealt a third card, even if the dealer has a Blackjack. If you split sevens, you will be paid for only the first two sevens. Payoff occurs after the second or third card is dealt according to the following table: •         First card any 7: $3 •         First two cards any 7’s: $50 •         First two cards 7’s same suit: $100 •         First three cards any 7’s $500 •         First three cards 7’s same suit: $5,000   Double Exposure – Also known as Zweikartenspiel. In one of the more unusual Blackjack games, both dealer cards are dealt face up. Obviously, this gives the p_layer_ an enormous advantage. To counteract this advantage, the “No Blackjack bonus” and “Dealer wins ties” rules usually accompany this game. Also, there is no insurance bet in Double Exposure. This is a very different game with entirely different playing strategies. I would not suggest playing this option in a casino if you have not fully studied the game. The game was invented by Richard Epstein — who unfortunately neglected to patent it.   Multiple Action – In this game, the p_layer_ can place two or three bets. Three betting boxes exist for this purpose for each seat. Normally you must place bets in at least the first two boxes. Relative bet size rules vary by casino. Your play is normal, except that the dealer has no hole card. After you have made all of your playing decisions, the dealer gets three hands. First, the dealer hand is finished and the first bets for all p_layer_s are resolved. All dealer cards except for the first are then discarded and the dealer hand is again completed using the original first dealer card as a start. All p_layer_ hands remain as they were. Then the second bets are resolved. This process is repeated again for the third dealer hand. If you double down or split your hand, double down and split bets are added in all bet boxes where you have an original bet. If you take insurance, then the insurance bet is placed in the normal spot and resolved dealer hand by dealer hand. If you surrender, then surrender bets are resolved hand by hand. The strategy is the same as with normal Blackjack.   Bust Out – This Blackjack side bet is rather like insurance. After the dealer turns over the hole card, and before the dealer hand is finished, this bet is available if the dealer has a stiff hand. A dealer stiff hand is a hand that must be hit and will bust if the dealer draws a ten. (Hard 12 through hard 16.) If the dealer then draws a ten, you will be paid two to one. This game can be easily beaten by card counters and, therefore, appears to have disappeared.   Seven and ½ – Seven and ½ is not really a Blackjack game at all, but an entirely different card game developed in Sicily. However, as it has appeared at times in Nevada and Atlantic City, and it is similar to Blackjack, it has been included. Seven and ½ is played like Blackjack with the following modifications: •         The card deck has 40 cards with no eights, nines, or tens. •         Aces always count as 1 and face cards count as ½. •         The goal is to get as close as possible to 7½ instead of 21 without busting. •         The dealer and the p_layer_s are each dealt one card face up instead of two cards. •         Each p_layer_, in turn, can hit, stand, surrender, or double- down just as in Blackjack. •         If the p_layer_ draws a pair of threes, twos, or aces, they may be split. •         The dealer must draw to 4½ and stand on 5. •         The dealer wins all pushes (ties).   Super Fun 21 – This is a new variation of single-deck Blackjack. You may hit and double split aces, double or surrender on any number of cards, and surrender after doubling. Several bonuses exist: p_layer_ 21 with five or more cards pays 2:1, p_layer_ hand of 20 or less with six cards automatically wins, p_layer_ Blackjack always wins, and a diamond Blackjack pays 2:1. However, all other Blackjacks pay even money. This last rule is very expensive. The